Comparison ROPS height, BX vs. B, and slopes!

[MossyDell]

Hi all: I am in the VERY early stage of trying to decide what Kubota model to get for my new property.

In looking at dimensions, I wonder why the ROPS on the BX models is so tall? 87.2 inches on the BX2370 and 2670. My garage and outbuilding doors are 7 feet/84 inches, which means I'll need to fold the ROPS to enter. Just seems like a pain.

The B2301 in contrast is listed as 83.9, squeaker but apparently I could drive right in.

On a related issue, I am rusty on hills and leaning toward the BX because my hilly yard scares the heck out of me. I am using the previous owner's JD lawn tractor to mow it, and man is the pucker factor high. No ROPS, seat belt, narrow stance, 2WD. However, I think I mowed worse slopes in my 4WD JD CUT on my old farm.

I know slope concerns are often discussed on this board, so I'm sorry if this is too duplicate an issue. But I do wonder if the BX with about three inches less ground clearance than the Bs would feel/be safer. I prefer the look and power of the B models. But realistically this tractor will be mostly for mowing, with some loader and snow work and maintaining my daughter's long, steep gravel driveway next door.

Obviously I am in that self-torturing period of agonizing over the perfect tractor for my situation. At any rate, I have owned two Kubotas and am looking forward to rejoining the orange fraternity. I think I need to go to a dealer and look at the BX and B models to see how they feel vs. specs on paper.

 

[oldballs]

They might be making a BX with a foldable ROPS now, which would solve that problem. For what you describe I'd go with the BX with turf tires for mowing and stability. It will still be good for other FEL and 3 pt chores as well. How many acres are involved?
Cheers,
Mike

 

[SPYDERLK]

Either a spec mistake or a MFG taking advantage of using oversized foldable optimized for a larger tractor. The non foldable ROPS on my BX1500 is ~69". The larger BXs just arent all that bigger. ... The non foldable on the B9200 is only ~76". Things are getting ridiculous.

,,,Good idea to explore options with a dealer.

 

[MossyDell]

I have seven acres and my daughter and son in law next door 20, but most of theirs not in woods is grazed by sheep, and they mow with a zero turn. They could use my help with a FEL and snow blade and box blade for their long gravel drive.

Part of my land is in trees. I probably have no more than four acres in grass, and I doubt I will keep it all as manicured as the last guy did, except maybe an acre around the house. Once I can run the sheep over here, maybe I will need to mow less. Paradoxically that would make me want a larger tractor!

I am at war with myself. I have known a nurseryman and a bush hogger who used very small Kubotas happily. I guess I just like the look of the Bs, and then I want the most powerful one because the dimensions are not that much bigger and why not pack in more power . . .

 

[flusher]

Slopes: how steep are they?

My first tractor was a new 2005 Kubota B7510HST with 4WD and the LA302 FEL. Not a good tractor for working on steep slopes. In fact, I nearly rolled that tractor while using the FEL to scoop loose dirt in a pile on level ground. The right front wheel dropped into a wheel rut and I had to drop the bucket quickly to prevent a rollover.

If your slops are more than 20 degrees, you need to find a tractor with a low center of gravity and wide wheel stance. Take a steel tape measure with you when you go tractor shopping. Measure the width of the rear tires from outside to outside and measure the height of the center line of the rear axle. The ratio of width to centerline height should be ~4 for working on steep slopes.

My 1964 MF135 diesel has a 4.15 ratio. These photos will give you some idea of what that ratio looks like on a low slung tractor that is set up for work on slopes.



Good luck and be careful out there.

 

[MossyDell]

Thank you, Flusher. What a neat rig!

I knew somebody would ask me the angle of the slopes, and I don't know. I grew up in a Florida beach town, flat as a pancake. To boot, I teach English and can barely add 2 and 2, so am not good with estimating such things. Would my posting a photo help?

From these forums, I get the impression that adding rear wheel spacers really helps, though it only gives you a few inches extra width (maybe 4?), but that dealers don't do it for you. I am going to get the rear wheels loaded and maybe add wheel weights, and can't see myself able to add spacers too. I am good at basic diesel maintenance because it's easy but I have poor mechanical abilities and a very bad back!

 

[Grandad4]

I have had a BX for 10 years and my cousin has a B that I've operated. Here are some thoughts from that perspective, FWIW. The BX has an advantage on slopes because it is built with smaller tires, so it's lower to the ground. For mowing, that may give you an advantage. The downside is the lower height works against you in rough terrain. Any tractor is going to be more tippy on hills with a loader on the front, especially with a payload in the bucket and especially if the bucket is raised too high. The BX with ballasted tires, mower deck on and FEL off, is pretty darn good on slopes... certainly not equal to a rig set up specifically for such terrain, but mine readily traverses some decent side slopes and will climb or descend much steeper grades.

By all means share a picture of your slopes, although pictures are notoriously deceiving in that regard.

The BX now comes standard with a folding ROPS; it's also an option on the B models. Note: Many are the tractor owners that forgot to fold their ROPS before putting the tractor away in the garage. Even more seem to get lazy about putting it up in the first place.

Regarding wheel spacers, they are definitely helpful for stability, but some owners and dealers have a concern that they cause extra wear on the wheel bearings and seals.

Hope something here might be helpful. Good luck in your shopping.

 

[MossyDell]

Here is a picture of the worst slope, at the top of the hill where the house sits. It does not look as steep here as what it does in person. What percent slope, can anyone tell? The worst part of it is the swath right after it falls off from the house, in line with those two evergreens.

Except for that little piece maybe, I used to mow across a hill like this on my John Deere 970, 33 hp. 4WD with weights on the front and filled rear tires. In my came-with-house JD lawn tractor, I am afraid to mow a lot of it going across and have to run up and down. Climbing is interesting.

Not sure this is a BX or a B hill.

 

[MossyDell]

I have had a BX for 10 years and my cousin has a B that I've operated. Here are some thoughts from that perspective, FWIW. The BX has an advantage on slopes because it is built with smaller tires, so it's lower to the ground. For mowing, that may give you an advantage. The downside is the lower height works against you in rough terrain. Any tractor is going to be more tippy on hills with a loader on the front, especially with a payload in the bucket and especially if the bucket is raised too high. The BX with ballasted tires, mower deck on and FEL off, is pretty darn good on slopes... certainly not equal to a rig set up specifically for such terrain, but mine readily traverses some decent side slopes and will climb or descend much steeper grades.

By all means share a picture of your slopes, although pictures are notoriously deceiving in that regard.

The BX now comes standard with a folding ROPS; it's also an option on the B models. Note: Many are the tractor owners that forgot to fold their ROPS before putting the tractor away in the garage. Even more seem to get lazy about putting it up in the first place.

Regarding wheel spacers, they are definitely helpful for stability, but some owners and dealers have a concern that they cause extra wear on the wheel bearings and seals.

Hope something here might be helpful. Good luck in your shopping.

Thanks, Grandad4, for the updated info and perspective on BX low COG.

 

[DHD]

Have you looked at Steiner, Ventrac or Power Trac ?
Those tractors are better suited for slopes than Kubota B series of BX series.

 

[MossyDell]

Have you looked at Steiner, Ventrac or Power Trac ?
Those tractors are better suited for slopes than Kubota B series of BX series.

Not yet. Thanks for the names.

 

[MossyDell]

photo of slope

Trying to post it here. As I say, it looks worse in person, especially after it first falls off. The hill has a series of plateaus between steeper slopes, and random dips and rises.

 

[tractorshopper]

My BX-2370 does very well side-sloping and from the looks of your photo, I'd very comfortably side slope that all day long. I have my rears filled. This tractor is so much more stable than my JD L118 lawn tractor was. I feel very much more comfortable and as an added bonus, I don't feel the need to lean out over the uphill fender. It doesn't need it. It's heavy enough/low enough COG already, that my body weight doesn't have an impact. The steepest areas that I used to only mow going up and down with my lawn tractor, I now will side slope with the BX. It's much much faster for many reasons and I'm really glad I made the change from L3800 tractor and JDL118 lawn tractor to BX-2370. If I miss anything, it's not the JD lawn mower. Good riddance to that thing.

I don't have a B, but had an L and the BX is way less tippy feeling than my L was on the same terrain. I will side-slope stuff on the BX with no sweat at all, that I never would have tried with the L.

As others said, I remove the FEL and any rear attachments when I mow.

 

[bellweather]

Based on the pic, it does not look too steep.
I have a BX with a belly mower and I mow what may be a similar slope. I take it slow and never mow with the loader mounted. There is one spot where I don't mow across the slope, I go N S instead of E W.
It's a comfort thing...if you are unsure then probably best not to risk it.

 

[tractorshopper]

I can do 360 turns on this slope.

 

[MossyDell]

Thanks, tractorshopper. I am hating my JD lawn tractor for this application too!

 

[MossyDell]

View attachment 424743View attachment 424743 I can do 360 turns on this slope.

Impressive. I think I need a BX. Maybe a BX2670, more power for FEL and rear blade. What's the difference/benefit between R4 and Bar tires? I am inclined to go with one or the other over turf.

 

[tractorshopper]

 

[tractorshopper]

I have one area at my other property that I mow side-hill that is steeper than the above pictures, but those are all I had on my phone camera. I can tug on the side handle on this and the other slope to kind of slightly "rock" the machine and it's still not tippy even at these angles. Drive slow though on the steepest stuff because if you run into a hole on downhill side or hit a big rock or bump on high side, it could then cause it to become more tippy.

 

[tractorshopper]

Bar tires are the most aggressive tread and generally narrower. They should get the most traction in tough conditions. R4 is kind of best of both worlds; good still aggressive tread, but not doing too much damage to areas you don't want mucked up, which is why I got them. I had them on my L3800 and loved them. That is why I got them on this BX.

Now however, having owned this and put about 35 hours on it with a lot of mowing at both properties, I think I would go back and get turfs if I had it to do over. R4's are more aggressive to get stuck less and theoretically put more power to the ground, but with this being a used to mow my real lawn as well, if the ground is soft from a recent rain, I do leave impressions with the weight of this thing. I don't have a golf course lawn, so it's not too big of a deal and the R4's are great, but the turfs may have been easier on my lawn in the long run and I believe with the weight of the machine that they'd still be good enough for loader and other ground engaging work like tilling or box blade. I truly don't know though and this is only an opinion.